1. Passenger Transport Section 19 & Section 22 Permits Presentation to Fenland Taxi Forum 27 September 2012

2. What are Permits? Ordinarily, any organisation operating in Great Britain that accepts any sort of payment for providing transport to passengers must hold either a:

3. What are Permits? Public Service Vehicle (PSV) Operator’s Licence issued by the Traffic Commissioner or; Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) Licence issued by the Local Authority.

4. Types of Permit There are two types of permit issued under the Transport Act 1985. Section 19 – use of vehicles by educational and other bodies; Section 22 – community bus permits.

5. Section 19 Permits Are either ‘standard permits’ for vehicles adapted to carry no more than 16 Passengers (excluding the driver); Or ‘large bus permits’ for vehicles carrying 17 or more passengers.

6. Section 19 Permits Since April 2009 services can be provided under a section 19 permit using a vehicle that carries 8 or fewer passengers. Where such vehicles are used under a permit, the passengers must be charged separate fares and are classed as Passenger Service Vehicles (PSVs)

7. Section 19 Permits If separate fares are not charged and the vehicle is provided for hire with a driver for the purposes of carrying passengers, the vehicle will need to be licensed as a Private Hire Vehicle (PHV). A section 19 permit does not exempt the Operator from the PHV licensing regime.

8. Section 19 Permits These permits are granted to organisations that operate vehicles without a view to profit to transport members or people whom the organisation exists to help. These vehicles cannot be used to carry the general public.

9. Not for Profit Applicants for section 19 permits must satisfy the issuing body that the transport services are not run with a view to profit, nor incidentally to an activity which itself carries on with a view to profit, regardless of how it uses any profits or income surplus.

10. Drivers for Section 19 Permits For a vehicle with 8 or fewer passengers: –A full licence authorising the driving of vehicles in Category B (cars) for at least two years and must be 21 or over. There is no restriction on such drivers receiving payment for driving this type of vehicle under a Section 19 permit.

11. Section 22 Permits Are issued to organisations who operate vehicles without a view to profit to provide a community bus service. The bus service must adhere to a published timetable and attain the same standards of operational professionalism that is expected by the Traffic Commissioner from commercial organisations.

12. Currently in Fenland We have Fenland Association for Community Transport (FACT). They are registered for Section 19 & 22 permits by the Traffic Commissioner and FDC have no role in their license arrangements.

13. PHV - Local Bus Service Section 53 of the Local Transport Act 2008 allows PHV owners to use their vehicles to run local bus services. Example: Run a bus service every day at, 9am and again at 4pm, but then provide a conventional PHV service at other times.

14. What is required? The Traffic Commissioner must grant you a ‘Special Licence’ in order to provide a local bus service. This is a special version of a Public Service Vehicle (PSV) Operator’s licence which is available to owners of PHV’s.

15. What is required? You must hold a PHV Driver & Vehicle Licence to be granted a ‘Special Licence’. The licence is granted to the holder of the vehicle licence not the PHV Operator.

16. What is required? No additional checks required for Traffic Commissioner who will rely on the Local Authority to have carried out suitability checks for PHV licensing purposes. You must give 56 days notice before starting the service and the same would apply should you wish to stop service.

17. PHV - Local Bus Service For further information: Traffic Commissioners Office Hillcrest House 386 Harehills Lane Leeds LS9 6NF Tel: 0300 123 9000